The Southeastern Conference Tournament champions celebrated the 2016 season Thursday evening at the team's annual awards banquet.
Soccer Team Holds Annual Awards Banquet
Thursday, April 13, 2017 | Soccer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The University of Florida soccer team held its annual awards banquet Thursday evening.
A pair of All-Southeastern Conference performers collected the team's Most Valuable Player honors. Senior Savannah Jordan is the Gators' Offensive MVP for the fourth consecutive year. Junior Kristen Cardano collects Florida's Defensive MVP award.
In her final season, Jordan was second in the SEC with 41 points and 16 goals. Those numbers placed her in a tie for eighth in points and T-9th in goals among 2016 NCAA Division I players. She is the only Gator in the program's history to earn National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America honors four times. Cardano was a NSCAA All-South Region third team selection. The speedy defender started 22 matches, playing the entirety of 16.
2016 NSCAA All-American Meggie Dougherty Howard is the Players' Choice recipient. The Players' Choice honor goes to the athlete who makes the biggest impression both on and off the field, as voted on by the members of the team. Dougherty Howard started every match at defensive midfield. She was the SEC Tournament MVP after registering an assist in each tournament match, including on golden goal in final. She kept that run going in further post-season action, recording an assist or goal (or both) in each NCAA Tournament match.
Senior midfielder Betsy Middleton is the 2016 recipient of the Erin Baxter Effort Award, which goes to a player who pushes the team to higher levels. She also joins sophomore Kaylan Marckese and redshirt senior Valerie Tysinger as the Karyn Hall Academic Excellence award recipients. The Robin Fulton Academic Achievement Award, given to the player who displays hard work and determination in the classroom, went to sophomore Sarah Troccoli. The four were among the league-record 24 Gators on the 2016 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll.
The Gator goalkeepers picked up additional awards. The Iron Gator Award went to Markese for her strength and conditioning work in- and off-season. Tysinger is the 2016 Leadership Award recipient.
The 2016 Coaches' Award recipient, which recognizes effort and team impact, goes to redshirt junior Gabby Seiler. She was a NSCAA All-South Region first team selection and joined Jordan and Dougherty Howard on the All-SEC first team. A versatile player who played at midfield, center or outside back during course of season, Seiler started every match.
The 2016 Gators won their second consecutive SEC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16. The team ranked No. 10 on the final NSCAA poll. The eight-member senior class turned in a four-year record of 71-18-5 (78.2 percent), which ranked No. 5 among the 2016 senior classes.
A pair of All-Southeastern Conference performers collected the team's Most Valuable Player honors. Senior Savannah Jordan is the Gators' Offensive MVP for the fourth consecutive year. Junior Kristen Cardano collects Florida's Defensive MVP award.
In her final season, Jordan was second in the SEC with 41 points and 16 goals. Those numbers placed her in a tie for eighth in points and T-9th in goals among 2016 NCAA Division I players. She is the only Gator in the program's history to earn National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America honors four times. Cardano was a NSCAA All-South Region third team selection. The speedy defender started 22 matches, playing the entirety of 16.
2016 NSCAA All-American Meggie Dougherty Howard is the Players' Choice recipient. The Players' Choice honor goes to the athlete who makes the biggest impression both on and off the field, as voted on by the members of the team. Dougherty Howard started every match at defensive midfield. She was the SEC Tournament MVP after registering an assist in each tournament match, including on golden goal in final. She kept that run going in further post-season action, recording an assist or goal (or both) in each NCAA Tournament match.
Senior midfielder Betsy Middleton is the 2016 recipient of the Erin Baxter Effort Award, which goes to a player who pushes the team to higher levels. She also joins sophomore Kaylan Marckese and redshirt senior Valerie Tysinger as the Karyn Hall Academic Excellence award recipients. The Robin Fulton Academic Achievement Award, given to the player who displays hard work and determination in the classroom, went to sophomore Sarah Troccoli. The four were among the league-record 24 Gators on the 2016 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll.
The Gator goalkeepers picked up additional awards. The Iron Gator Award went to Markese for her strength and conditioning work in- and off-season. Tysinger is the 2016 Leadership Award recipient.
The 2016 Coaches' Award recipient, which recognizes effort and team impact, goes to redshirt junior Gabby Seiler. She was a NSCAA All-South Region first team selection and joined Jordan and Dougherty Howard on the All-SEC first team. A versatile player who played at midfield, center or outside back during course of season, Seiler started every match.
The 2016 Gators won their second consecutive SEC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16. The team ranked No. 10 on the final NSCAA poll. The eight-member senior class turned in a four-year record of 71-18-5 (78.2 percent), which ranked No. 5 among the 2016 senior classes.
| 2016 Florida Soccer Team Awards | |
| Players' Choice | Meggie Dougherty Howard |
| Offensive MVP | Savannah Jordan |
| Defensive MVP | Kristen Cardano |
| Erin Baxter Effort Award | Betsy Middleton |
| Leadership Award | Valerie Tysinger |
| Iron Gator | Kaylan Marckese |
| Coaches Player of the Year | Gabby Seiler |
| Karyn Hall Academic Excellence | Kaylan Marckese, Betsy Middleton & Val Tysinger |
| Robin Fulton Academic Achievement | Sarah Troccoli |
Players Mentioned
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